Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of protective devices in general and in particular to a protective device specifically designed for fine china and crystal glassware.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,842,675; 4,113,096; 5,634,617; and, 5,285,996, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse protective cover devices for a variety of different items.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical protective cover device for fine china and glassware.
As anyone who has invested in fine china and glassware is all too well aware, the greatest threat to their investment involves the chipping and/or scratching of the fragile surfaces while being handled during placement into or being removed from storage when the edges of the moved fragile articles tend to come into contact with portions of stationary fragile articles.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among owners of fine china and glassware for a new and improved protective device that covers the bottom, edges, and sides of these fragile articles so that they can be stacked or nested relative to one another without fear of chipping or scratching of the delicate surfaces; and, the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the protective cover device that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general a one piece cover member fabricated from generally resilient and flexible material possessing a degree of plastic memory that will allow the material to return to its original configuration after being stretched to cover a particular fragile article.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the cover member comes in a plate version and a glass version wherein both versions include: a protective outer ring element having an inwardly curved lip adapted to cover and protect the outer or upper edge of a plate or glass; and, a generally cruciform strap arrangement that protects the undersides and outer sides respectively as well as portions of the bottom surface of the plate and glasses.
In addition, in the plate version of this invention, the cover member also includes an inner protective ring element that rests beneath the bottom rim of a plate so that the bottom rim of one plate cannot come into contact with the top surface of an underlying plate.